Report
Joel Scheiman ...
  • Julie Boote
  • Pelham Smithers
  • Thao Nguyen

PSA Today Mar 8: A nervous, quality bias/Nissan to buy Renault stake from France?/Fujifilm and Ricoh share a goal/Eisai's massive Merck deal/Asahi Kasei's housing stats/LINE's growth - Nikkei +0.54%

Japan Market Comment by Pelham Smithers, Julie Boote, Joel Scheiman and Thao Nguyen
Nikkei ¥21,368.67 (+¥115.35 / +0.54%); Topix ¥1,709.95 (+¥5.99/ +0.35%); ¥/$105.96
Tags: Capcom (9697 JP), GMO Payment (3769 JP), SBI Holdings (8473 JP), Digital Garage (4819 JP), Kitanotatsujin (2930 JP), Nissan (7201 JP), Renault (RNO FP), Mitsubishi Motors (7211 JP), Ricoh (7752 JP), Fujifilm (4901 JP), Xerox Corp (XRX US), Fuji Xerox, Eisai (4523 JP), Merck (MRK US), Asahi Kasei (3407 JP), LINE (3938 JP), Rakuten (4755 JP)
Main Points at a Glance
• Nervousness leads to a quality bias to the market
• eSports, eContent, eCommerce, eFinance
• Nissan to buy stake in Renault from France?
• Fujifilm and Ricoh: paths toward a same goal
• Eisai in massive Merck deal
• Asahi Kasei’s positive housing order trend pauses
• LINE launches LINE Wallet
Underlyings
Asahi Kasei Corporation

Asahi Kasei is a holding company. Co., through its affiliates, operates in three principal business segments. Material segment manufactures and sells petrochemicals, synthetic rubber, performance materials, household products (plastic wrap and storage bags), cleaning agents, elastic polyurethane filament, and battery separators. Homes segment is engaged in the development, construction and sale of unit houses and apartment buildings; and the provision of construction materials. Health Care segment manufactures and sells pharmaceuticals, diagnostic reagents, and critical care devices. In addition, Co. is engaged in the electricity supply, engineering, and employment agency businesses.

Capcom Co. Ltd.

Capcom is engaged in the development, manufacture and sales of video games, online games, mobile games and arcade games, as well as the operation of amusement arcades. Co.'s business segments are digital contents, amusement facility and amusement equipment. Co. is engaged in the planning, development, manufacture and sales of home video games, online games and mobile games including "Rockman," "Monster Hunter World" and "Dragons Dogma"; the operation of "Plaza Capcom" amusement facilities in Japan; and the development, production and distribution of arcade games for amusement facilities. Co. is also engaged in the licensing business of game characters and the real estate leasing business.

Digital Garage Inc.

Digital Garate is a business context company engaged in the provision of marketing technology, financial technology and incubation technology solutions. Co. is engaged in the provision of integrated promotion solution services and data management solutions utilizing web marketing; the development and sales of social media-related advertising technology; the development and sales of overseas travel information apps for cellular phones; the sales of website support tools; the e-commerce payment solution services; the investment and incubation of venture companies and start-up companies; and the provision of data security related solutions.

Eisai Co. Ltd.

Eisai is mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products. Co.'s principal prescription drugs include anticancer agents, anti-Alzheimer's agent, anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies, antiepileptic agents, proton pump inhibitors, neuropathic pain relievers, and other prescription drugs under the name of "Halaven," "Lenvima," "Fycompa," "BELVIQ," "Pariet/AcipHex," "Aricept," and "Humira." Co.'s principal over-the-counter products include Vitamin B2 preparations "Chocola BB," gastrointestinal drugs, anti-allergic drugs, and dermatological preparations. Co. operates its operations in Japan, the Americas, Europe, China and Asia.

FUJIFILM Holdings Corp

FUJIFILM Holdings is a holding company engaged in the manufacture and sale of imaging information products. Co.'s principal businesses are divided into three segments: imagining solution, information solution and document solution. Co.'s principal products and services are color films, digital cameras "FinePix," photofinishing equipment, color paper, as well as chemicals and services for photofinishing; equipment and materials for medical systems and life sciences, equipment and materials for graphic arts, flat panel display materials, recording media and optical devices; office copy machines/MFPs, printers, as well as production systems and services.

Merck & Co. Inc.

Merck & Co. is a global health care company that delivers health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products. The company's segments are: Pharmaceutical, which includes human health pharmaceutical products that consist of therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders, and human health vaccine products that consist of preventive pediatric, adolescent and adult vaccines; and Animal Health, which discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services, as well as a suite of digitally connected identification, traceability and monitoring products.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

Mitsubishi Motors and its affiliates are mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of motor vehicles including passenger cars as well as component parts. Co. is engaged in the development, design, manufacture, assembly, sale and purchase, import and other transactions relating to automobiles, component parts and replacement parts, agricultural machinery and industrial engines; the sale and purchase of used automobiles; the sale of measuring equipment; and acting as insurance agents in accordance with laws relating to property damage insurance and to automobile damage indemnity insurance. In addition, Co. is involved in the provision of automobile leasing and sales finance services.

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

Nissan Motor, along with its subsidiaries and associated companies, is engaged in the manufacture and sale of vehicles, marine products and related parts; and the provision of finance services throughout world. Co.'s principal businesses are automobile and sales financing. Automobile segment manufactures electric vehicles, sedans, sport coupes, compact cars, mini vans, SUVs, pick-up trucks, and station wagons. Co.'s principal brand names include "Leaf," "Infiniti," "Murano," "Altima," "Maxima," "Sentra," "Quest," "Cedric," "Days Roox," "e-NV200," "Note e-Power," "Caravan," "Wingroad," "GT-R," "Farilady Z, among others. Sales Financing segment provides sales financing services..

Rakuten Inc.

Rakuten is mainly engaged in the Internet-related business. Along with its affiliates, Co. operates in two business segments. The Internet Services segment is engaged in the operation of electronic commerce sites, including an Internet shopping mall "Rakuten Ichiba," an online cash back site, a travel booking site, portal sites and digital contents sites; the sale of advertising on Co.'s sites; the provision of messaging and communication services; and the management of a professional baseball team "Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles." FinTech segment is engaged in the provision of Internet banking services and online securities trading services, and the credit card and life insurance businesses.

Renault SA

Renault is an automobile manufacturer. Co.'s activities have been organized into two main business sectors, in more than 120 countries: Automotive and Sales Financing. Co. designs, develops and sells passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Following the acquisition of Romanian carmaker Dacia and Samsung Motors' operating assets in South Korea, Co. has three automotive brands: Renault, Dacia and Samsung. RCI Banque, Co.'s captive financing arm, finances sales of the Renault, Renault Samsung Motors (RSM) and Dacia brands, and, in Europe, the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In addition to these two activities, Co. has equity investments in the following two companies: Nissan and AVTOVAZ.

Ricoh Company Ltd.

Ricoh is engaged in the development, manufacture, sale and service of office equipment and printing equipment. Office Printing segment offers multifunctional printers, copiers, laser printers, digital duplicators, wide format printers, facsimile, scanners and related parts and supplies. Office Service segment offers PCs, servers, network equipment, projectors and unified communication systems for video/web conferencing. Commercial Printing segment offers cut sheet printers, continuous feed printers, related parts and supplies. Industrial Printing segment offers inkjet heads, imaging systems and industrial printers. Thermal Media segment offers thermal paper and thermal transfer ribbons.

SBI Holdings Inc.

SBI Holdings is a holding company engaged in the control and management of its group through share ownership. Through its subsidiaries, Co. is engaged in the provision of securities, banking, insurance, housing loan, financial media, real estate financial, forex margin trading businesses, and overseas financial services; the operation and management of investment partnership, the investment in domestic and international venture companies, and the provision of investment advisory services. Co. is also engaged in the 5-aminolaevulinic acid-related business, as well as the research, development, and sale of drugs, cosmetics and health foods.

Xerox Holdings Corporation

Xerox is a provider of digital print technology and intelligent work solutions. The company operates in three main areas: Intelligent Workplace Services, which includes a continuum of solutions and services consisting of managed print services, industry digital solutions, personalization and communication software, content management solutions, and digitization services; Workplace Solutions, which is made up of two product groups, Entry and Mid-Range, which share common technology, manufacturing and product platforms; and Production Solutions, which enable full-color, on-demand printing of a range of applications, including variable data for personalized content and one-to-one marketing.

Provider
Pelham Smithers Associates Ltd
Pelham Smithers Associates Ltd

Founded in 2009, Pelham Smithers Associates (PSA) provides market intelligence on Asian technology, focusing in particular on Japan. The industries covered by our team of specialists are: consumer electronics, telecomms, pharmaceuticals, internet, electronic parts and materials, automotive technology, retail and capital goods. 

PSA produces both company and sector reports. The focus of PSA’s research is to identify winners and losers as new technologies impact the top and bottom lines of corporations. Critical to our research is the clear explanation of how these new technologies work and how they impact companies and industries. 

The founding partners have worked closely together for twenty years and the team has more than doubled in size since 2012. 

Analysts
Joel Scheiman

Julie Boote

Pelham Smithers

Thao Nguyen

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